Yemen govt forces make 'sustained' gains in Taiz, army spokesperson says

Yemeni government forces have made significant gains against the Houthi rebels in Taiz province in southwest Yemen after several days of sustained clashes, an army spokesperson said Thursday.

Captain Abdulbaset al-Bahr said the most recent confrontations between the two forces were focused on the area around Jabal Habashi in central Taiz province. 

The army made “notable and sustained” gains, taking advantage of retreats by Houthi forces from many positions around the north of Jabal Habashi, extending into Ramadi and al-Rabi’i, he said.

Gains extended up to the border between Taiz and the coastal province of Hodeidah, on the Red Sea. Government forces seized some of Taiz province's most densely populated areas, according to al-Bahr.

Government forces will soon retake the main highway between Taiz and Hodeidah, now within firing range of their artillery, al-Bahr claimed.

The army also made significant progress to the west of Taiz city, taking several villages, he told news agency Al-Hadath Al-Yemeni.

نائب رئيس شعبة التوجيه المعنوي لمحور #تعز العقيد عبدالباسط البحر: اشتعال جميع جبهات القتال بين الجيش اليمني وميليشيا #الحوثي pic.twitter.com/Mmqnk5LOmq

— الحدث اليمني (@Alhadath_Ymn) February 2, 2022

The internationally-recognised government's forces were aided by considerable aerial assistance from the Saudi-led Arab coalition, according to the captain. 

Al-Bahr did not say how many people were killed and injured in the fighting.

No Houthi spokespeople have yet responded to al-Bahr’s claims, although the air raids on Jabal Habashi were reported by Houthi-run media outlet Al Masirah on Thursday.